Australian Beauty Bloggers Weekend 2011 (ABBW2011)
It’s hard to believe it’s already been a week since the epic ABBW2011 weekend! I was amazed to meet so many amazing bloggers and it felt extra special to meet so many that recognised me & Beauty Swatch. A huge thank you to Kimmie (The Plastic Diaries) and Jacie (You’ve Got Nail) for organising such an amazing event for us.
Being the minimalist that I am, I somehow managed to under pack & came back with only 18.7kg baggage (despite paying for 23kg) , and only hauled my “must have” Hakuhodo brushes and a few Inglot lippies to add to my Beauty Swatch collection.
I’m not sure about the other bloggers who attended, but this weekend was just as much about engaging bloggers, brands & PR as it was about self-reflection. So this ABBW wrap is about what it meant for me & my take aways from the weekend. To view more detailed ABBW coverage, check out the ABBW official website, in particular Ponikuta and Beautyholics Anonymous.
5 Things I Reflected from ABBW2011
1. Differentiation is key
The best decision I ever made was to stick to a niche topic. It’s helped with everything from pitching, managing my blogging workload and PR’s expectations. But most importantly, it’s gives readers a reason to visit your blog over someone else’s. Finding a point of differentiation is just as important for a “hobby blog” as it is for a “professional” blog. Your point of differentiation could be anything from topic coverage, writing / visual styles or blogging voice. Find a style that resonates with who you are & it’ll be easy to stick to in the long term.
2. The “blogging for love vs. money” debate
Marusya (Crashing Red) wrote an excellent post on “Blogging for Love vs. Money“. Whilst most people support that it’s a very personal decision, the judgement starts coming out of the closet depending on the business model. Banner advertising, affiliate programs and e-books seem to attract less criticism than sponsored / paid posts. As for me, I support diversity as it encourages creativity. For those that manage to make blogging profitable, I take my hat off to them & watch with anticipation on how they adapt to changing times.
3. Keeping it professional doesn’t have to mean being a professional
I am certainly not a professional blogger, nor do I intend on giving up my career to pursue blogging full time. But these are not excuses for not taking a professional approach to your blog. I was taken aback by how few hands went up when bloggers were asked if they have a media kit for their blog. Here are the top 5 must-have’s to get started:
- Media Kit - if you don’t know where to start, read Tine’s how-to guide at Beautyholics Anonymous. Your media kit is your chance to shine.
- Google Analytics – know your Unique Visitors, Page Views, Pages per Visit and Bounce Rate to name a few. Use Google custom reporting to generate traffic reports, don’t ever make them up.
- Stationery – Start with blog business cards & upgrade to custom stationery when you are ready to take your blog to the next level.
- Editorial Calendar / Notebook – Keep records of what you receive so you don’t accidentally lose stuff or forget to review them. Plan posts in advance to help manage your blogging workload.
- Professionalism, Respect & Common Sense – Never lie, never steal, never act like a diva & mistreat others bloggers or PR. It doesn’t take long for news of bad behaviour to be shared around the traps. For detailed tips on how to handle PR relationships, Ponikuta has it covered.
4. Does size matter?
At ABBW2011, the message to bloggers was that size does not matter. But at a separate event I attended, an insider shared with me that it does. The advice seems conflicting, but my take on this is that a blogger’s influence is demonstrated through their knowledge / authority on a topic, and being on the pulse of their social media influence. This will help to justify why you should receive product from PR & invitations to events. Numbers are just one part of the bigger picture. Choosing to play only the numbers game only shows your limited knowledge of social media.
5. Brand, PR & Blogger engagement still has a bit further to go
Bloggers were told to think twice about how they pitch negative reviews on products, otherwise the relationship between the blogger and brand may be at stake. Whilst I understand the intent behind this point, I think it could have been conveyed more effectively as the blunt statement offended some. There is a fine line between “controlled” word of mouth and balanced/ objective product reviews. If I tell my readers that a brand new lipgloss ticks all other boxes but ultimately tastes foul, and this means compromising my relationship with the brand/PR – so be it. In my opinion, consumers always come first & it’s the role of bloggers to give a factual and honest account of our experience with products.
For those that I didn’t manage to meet at ABBW, I am wearing the cream jacket in the photo collage above! Tweet me @BeautySwatch~
Images courtesy of The Australian Beauty Bloggers Weekend are not to be reproduced, republished or reused. Images remain the property of The Australian Beauty Bloggers Weekend.
Loading ...
Well written, Akisa! I’m glad you’re doing Beauty Swatch. See, that’s your point-of-difference!
Thanks Tine!! Speaking of Bloggie Wednesdays, perhaps you could cover the topic of blog advertising.. How to negotiate, what rates to charge, different advertising models/programs etc.
This post gave me flashbacks where you, me and Tine were catching up for the first time. The first thing I told you to do is ditch Akisa and focus on beautyswatch. LOOK AT YOU NOW!!!! Keep up the good work.
x
Flashback indeed! The first blogging I attended in Sydney was by you-know-who & look how far blogging events have come!! Just goes to show the best blogging events are those organised by bloggers themselves.
Your wrap up was a great read! Loving what the collage too.
I agree, I’d much rather read blogs that have 100% honest opinions so that we know what we are going to expect. Otherwise you are going to end up unsure about the blogger & the brand.
Great to be on the safe side with luggage anyway!
X
This is a great post Akisa full of advice for bloggers like me who are just starting to deal with PR’s. I have a lot to learn from you!
thanks Ling! I am by no means an expert! Learnt through trial & error and advice from other bloggers~ MBBE is a great group to share experience also.
It was so lovely to meet you Akisa, so good to see another person as lipstick obsessed as me! And loved this post, very well said.
Lovely to meet you too Lilit!!
Well put! Thanks for summarizing ABBW for everyone, as always you’re a fountain of wisdom Akisa. I really appreciate your honest and straight talk, both here an in person <3
thanks Jen!
[...] from the continued friendships formed at last year’s event, and new ones formed at the Australian Beauty Bloggers Weekend held in [...]